Recently, the provision of a silver halide photographic lightsensitive material is required to carry out a rapid processing and accomplish a superior color reproduction as well as gradation reproduction and carry out a stable photographic processing. Further, it is inexpensive. Above all, a silver halide photographic lightsensitive material capable of rapidly processing a development is in great demand.
Recently, a silver halide photographic light-sensitive material are sequentially developed by automatic developing machines installed at processing laboratories. Processing laboratories are demanded to develop negatives as promptly as possible, for example, in a day. Since the past few years ago, processing laboratories have been demanded to develop negatives as promptly as in several hours.
When a silver halide color photographic light-sensitive material is sequentially processed at a processing laboratory for a long period with a replenisher being replenished, the variation of the replenisher composition causes photographic performance (particularly, gradation) to vary. In recent years, a replenisher is not sufficiently supplied with a developer. This is mainly caused in the above-described situation. When a replenisher is not supplied with a developer sufficiently, followings occur: The accumulation of a development-restraining substance which elutes from a silver halide photographic light-sensitive material (hereinafter referred to as light-sensitive material); the fact that a bleaching agent, fixing solution, and bleach-fix solution contaminate a color developing solution; and the variation of the ion density of bromide contained in the color developing solution. As described above, such a change of a color developer causes an unfavorable photographic performance. Thus, favorable reproductions of color and gradation cannot be obtained. It is almost impossible to prevent bleaching, fixing, and bleach-fix solutions from contaminating a developer even though a strict replenishing rate of a relenisher is determined, and evaporation of the replenisher is prevented, and a light-sentive material is so formed that substance does not elute from the light-sensitive material. The amount of negatives to be developed vary depending on the size of a roller as well as the capacity of automatic developing machines. The amount of a bleach-fix solution which contaminates a developer vary depending on the capacity of developing machines, which is caused by a squeezing manner. When the replenishing rate of the treating solution is reduced, the processing solution does not cycle at a fast speed, with the result that the amount of the bleach-fix solution which contaminates the developer increases.
Various researches have been made to provide a superior means for solving the above-described problem. For example, researches to improve the properties of a conventional light-sensitive material and processing solution have been made to find an appropriate temperature and the optimum pH for a rapid processing, and apply additives such as a developing accelerator, however, neither a rapid and favorable processing nor the reduction of fog generation has been accomplished in spite of energetic researches which have been made so far. Those skilled in the art know that a developing speed is influenced to a great extent by the configuration, size, and composition of particles of a silver halide light-sensitive emulsion and that the composition of silver halide has the greatest influence on a developing speed. It is well known by those skilled in the art that a high silver chloride containing silver halide permits a very rapid processing.
A light-sensitive material in which a silver chloride containing silver halide is capable of carrying out a rapid processing has, however, the disadvantages that a fog is generated and that photographic performance varies in a great extent due to the fact that a bleach-fix solution contaminates a developer. Therefore, the provision of a light-sensitive material which improves this problem is of urgent and great necessity.
Various restrainers to prevent the generation of a fog caused by a silver halide emulsion are known in the art. For example, the one disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4565774 is effective for preventing a fog generation and carrying out a rapid processing, however, it is ineffective for improving the variation of photographic performance caused by the contamination of a bleach-fix solution with a developer (hereinafter referred to as BF contamination-caused variation.)
The addition of a mercapto compound to a light-sensitive material can restrain the BF contamination-caused variation to a certain extent, however, in the case of a light-sensitive material in which a silver chloride containing silver chloride is contained, the addition of mercapto group compount thereto is not so effective for restraining the BF contamination-caused variation. If mercapto group compound is added to a light-sensitive material in such a degree as to efficiently restraining the BF contaminated-caused variation, the light-sensitive material degrades in sensitivity to a great extent, and a processing solution is incapable of carrying out a rapid development. Further, an unfavorable desilverization occurs.